Semiconductor component with internal heating

ABSTRACT

The invention involves a process for heating a semi-conductor component, as well as a semi-conductor component, whereby a device for heating the semi-conductor component is provided on the semi-conductor component.

CLAIM FOR PRIORITY

This application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2004 015539.9, filed Mar. 30, 2004, which is incorporated herein, in itsentirety, by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a semiconductor component with internalheating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semi-conductor components, for instance corresponding integrated (analogand/or digital) computing circuitry, semi-conductor memory componentssuch as for instance function storage components (PLAs, PALs, etc.) andtable storage components (for instance ROMs or RAMs, in particular SRAMsand DRAMs), etc. are subjected to numerous tests during and aftermanufacture.

For instance components (semi-complete and still on the wafer) may be,at one or more stations and with the aid of one or more testapparatuses—even before the wafer has been subjected to all requiredprocess steps (i.e. even while the semi-conductor components are stillin a semi-complete state)—subjected to appropriate test procedures (forinstance so-called kerf measurements on the wafer scoring grid).

After completion (i.e. after all the wafer processing steps have beenperformed) the semi-conductor components can be subjected to furthertest procedures at one or more (further) test stations, for instance thecomponents still present on the wafer and completed may be appropriatelytested (“slice tests”) with the aid of corresponding (further) testequipment.

After the wafer has been sliced (and/or scored and snapped off) the—nowindividually available components, loaded into so-called carriers(packages)—can be subjected to further test procedures at one or more(further) test stations.

In similar fashion, one or more further tests can be performed (atcorresponding further test stations and by using appropriate furthertest equipment) for instance after the semi-conductor components havebeen installed in a corresponding semi-conductor component housing,and/or for instance after the semi-conductor component housings (withthe semi-conductor components built into them in each case) have beeninstalled in corresponding electronic modules (for so-called moduletests), etc.

To ensure that semi-conductor components can function faultlessly withinthe total specified temperature range (for instance 0° C.–70° C.), thesemi-conductor components may—before and/or during one or more of theabove tests (for instance the above slice tests, carrier tests, moduletests, etc.)—be appropriately heated or cooled in appropriate heatingchambers.

The problem that occurs is that relatively strong non-homogeneoustemperature distributions may occur in sections of the heating chamber.

This may for instance have the effect—for instance during a moduletest—that the most strongly heated semi-conductor component of anelectronic module which has been introduced into the heating chamber maybe heated relatively strongly, for instance 10° C. more than the leaststrongly heated semi-conductor component in one and the same module inthe heating chamber.

This may lead thereto that one or more of the semi-conductor componentsin the heating chamber is heated too strongly (for instance above and/orfar above the specified temperature in each case, or the targettemperature), i.e. is “over-tested”.

Thereby the corresponding semi-conductor component may be irreparablydamaged and/or destroyed.

In this way the targeted yield (i.e. the proportion of faultlesslyoperating semi-conductor components/modules) of all the semi-conductorcomponents and/or modules being manufactured is reduced.

When an attempt is made to avoid the above “over-testing”—i.e. theexcessive overheating—of those semi-conductor components which arearranged on each module and heated too strongly in the heating chamberdue to the non-homogeneous temperature distribution occurring in theheating chambers, it may occur that the remaining semi-conductorcomponents provided on the corresponding module in the heating chambermay not be heated strongly enough.

This may lead to a deterioration in the quality of the producedcomponents and/or modules (because the danger increases that componentsand/or modules are produced that do not function faultlessly over thewhole specified temperature range in each case).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention discloses a semi-conductor component as well as a novelsystem, which comprises a semi-conductor component and a device providedoutside the semi-conductor component, and a new process for heating asemi-conductor component.

In one embodiment of the invention, a semi-conductor component is madeavailable, in which a device for heating the semi-conductor component isprovided on the semi-conductor component itself.

Advantageously, the device for heating the semi-conductorcomponent—provided on the semi-conductor component—comprises a controland/or regulatory device.

Preferably the device for heating the semi-conductor component maycomprise a heating element, which can be heated by the current flowingthrough the heating element.

Particularly advantageously, the heating element is a diode, inparticular an ESD protective diode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in more detail with reference to variousexemplary embodiments and the attached illustrations. In theillustrations:

FIG. 1 a shows several stations passed through during the manufacture ofcorresponding semiconductor components used for testing and/or heatingcorresponding semiconductor components and several heating chambers.

FIG. 1 b shows additional stations passed through during the manufactureof corresponding semiconductor components used for testing and/orheating corresponding semiconductor components and heating chambers.

FIG. 2 shows a section of one of the semiconductor components shown inFIGS. 1 a and 1 b, with a temperature measuring device and an internalheating control device.

FIG. 3 shows a section of the semiconductor component shown in FIGS. 1 aand 1 b with a temperature measuring device and the control device thatcan be connected thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, a few stations (some of numerous further stationsA, B, C, D, E, F, G not shown here) passed through during themanufacture of semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d (and/orelectronic modules) by the corresponding semi-conductor components 3 a,3 b, 3 c, 3 d are shown schematically.

The semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d may for instance becorresponding integrated (analog and/or digital) computing circuitry,and/or semi-conductor memory components such as for instance functionstorage components (PLAs, PALs, etc.) or table storage components (forinstance ROMs or RAMs), in particular SRAMs or DRAMs (here for instanceDRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memories and/or dynamic read-writememories) with double data rate (DDR-DRAMs=Double Data Rate DRAMs),preferably high-speed DDR-DRAMs).

During the manufacture of the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3d, a suitable silicon disk and/or corresponding wafer 2 is subjected—forinstance at stations upstream and downstream from station A shown inFIG. 1 (for instance station B—downstream from station A—as well asnumerous further stations, not shown here (stations both upstream anddownstream from station A))—to appropriate conventional coating,illuminating, etching, diffusion and implantation process steps etc.

Station A serves—as is more clearly described below—to heat—in acontrolled fashion—the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3d—still present on wafer 2—by means of several, for instance two ormore, control devices 6 a, 6 b (or alternatively for instance by meansof an appropriate single control device) and by means of an internalheating control device 50, 50′—more closely described below—present onthe relevant semi-conductor component or provided externally—and/or tosubject them to several further test procedures (in fact—as is evidentfrom the explanations above—even before the above processing stepsrequired for wafer 2 have been performed (i.e. already in asemi-completed state of the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3d)).

Alternatively—as is schematically represented in FIG. 1 a—an appropriateheating chamber 51 (into which the above wafer 2, a probe card 8, andfor instance the devices 6 a, 6 b may be placed (or for instance thewafer 2, or for instance the wafer 2 and the probe card 8, not howeverthe devices 6 a, 6 b, etc.)) may be additionally provided to assist withthe above heating procedure of the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3c, 3 d, before, and/or during one or several of the above tests.

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required—as is more clearlydescribed further below—for heating the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3b, 3 c, 3 d at station A by means of the above internal heating controldevices 50, 50′ (and/or for testing a corresponding semi-conductorcomponent 3 a on wafer 2)—are generated by the corresponding devices 6a, 6 b and relayed by means of the probe card 8 connected to the devices6 a, 6 b (more accurately: by means of corresponding contact pins 9 a, 9b provided on the probe card) to corresponding connections on therelevant semi-conductor component 3 a.

From station A the wafer 2 may (in particular fully automatically) befurther transported to station B (and from there—if required—to numerousstations not represented here), where—as already mentioned above—wafer 2is subjected to appropriate further processing steps (in particular toappropriate coating, illuminating, etching, diffusion and implantationprocess steps etc.) and/or—correspondingly similar to those performed atstation A—to further heating and/or test procedures.

After the semi-conductor components have been completed (i.e. after theabove wafer processing steps have been performed) wafer 2 istransported—in particular in fully automatic fashion—from thecorresponding—previous—processing station (for instance from station Bor other further—downstream—stations) to the next station C.

Station C may still—as is more clearly described further below—be usedfor the controlled heating of the completed semi-conductor components 3a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d—still present on wafer 2—by means of several, forinstance two or more control devices 16 a, 16 b (or alternatively forinstance by means of a corresponding single control device), and by theabove internal heating control device 50, 50′—present on eachsemi-conductor component or provided externally—and/or to subject it tovarious—further—test procedures, for instance to so-called slice tests.

As an alternative, an appropriate (additional) heating chamber 52 (intowhich—as is schematically represented in FIG. 1 a—the above wafer 2, aprobe card 18, and for instance the devices 16 a, 16 b may be placed (orfor instance the wafer 2, or for instance the wafer 2 and the probe card8, not however the devices 6 a, 6 b, etc.)) may be additionally providedto support the heating process of the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3b, 3 c, 3 d before, and/or during one or several of the above tests.

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required—as is more clearlydescribed further below—for heating the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3b, 3 c, 3 d at station C by means of the above internal heating controldevice 50, 50′ (and/or for testing a corresponding semi-conductorcomponent 3 a on wafer 2)—are generated by the corresponding devices 16a, 16 b and relayed by means of the probe card 18 connected to thedevices 16 a, 16 b (more accurately: by means of corresponding contactpins 19 a, 19 b provided on the probe card) to corresponding connectionson the relevant semi-conductor component 3 a.

From station C wafer 2 is transported (in particular in fully automaticfashion) to the next station D where (after wafer 2 has had foil gluedto it in recognized fashion) it is sawn up by an appropriate machine 7(or for instance scored and snapped off), so that the semi-conductorcomponents 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d become—individually—available.

After wafer 2 has been sawn up at station D, each individual component 3a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d is then (in particular—again fully automatically)loaded into an appropriate carrier 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and/or acorresponding container 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and the semi-conductorcomponents 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d—loaded into the carrier 11 a, 11 b, 11 c,11 d—transported further to one or more (further) stations—for instanceto station E shown in FIG. 1 a.

At station E the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d—loadedinto the carriers 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d—can then be heated (in acontrolled fashion) for instance by using the above internal heatingcontrol device 50, 50′—present on the relevant semi-conductor component,or provided externally (and/or subjected to various further testprocedures—for instance to so-called carrier tests).

For this, a corresponding carrier 11 a is inserted into an appropriatecarrier socket and/or carrier adapter—connected via corresponding lines29 a, 29 b with several, for instance two or more control devices 26 a,26 b (or alternatively for instance with a corresponding single controldevice)- and the other carriers 11 b, 11 c, lid are for instancesimilarly inserted into further carrier sockets and/or carrieradapters—or connected to the above control devices or further controldevices (not shown here).

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required at station E forheating the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d by using theabove internal heating control device 50, 50′ (and/or for testing acorresponding semi-conductor component 3 a in the corresponding carrier11 a) are—as is more clearly described below—generated by the abovecontrol devices 26 a, 26 b and relayed—via lines 29 a, 29 b, the carriersockets connected to them, and the carrier 11 a—to correspondingconnections of the corresponding semi-conductor component 3 a.

As an alternative, an appropriate (additional) heating chamber 53 (intowhich—as is schematically represented in FIG. 1 a—the above carriers 11a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d with their sockets, the components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3d, and the devices 26 a, 26 b (or for instance the carriers 11 a, 11 b,11 c and 11 d with their carrier sockets, and the components 3 a, 3 b, 3c, 3 d, not however the devices 26 a, 26 b, etc.) may be additionallyprovided to support the heating process of the semi-conductor components3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d at station E, before and/or during any one or severalof the above tests.

From station E the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d may betransported (in particular in fully automatic fashion) to one or morestation(s)—not represented here—where the semi-conductor components 3 a,3 b, 3 c, 3 d are mounted on corresponding housings 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12d (for instance appropriate plug-in or surface mounted componenthousings, etc.).

As shown in FIG. 1 b, the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3d—mounted in the housings 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d—may then be transportedto one (or more) further stations, for instance to station F shown inFIG. 1 b.

At station F the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d—mounted inthe housings 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d can then be heated (in a controlledway, for instance by using the above internal heating control devices50, 50′—mounted on the relevant semi-conductor component—or providedexternally) and/or subjected to various further test procedures.

For this, a corresponding semi-conductor component housing 12 a isinserted into a corresponding component housing socket and/or componenthousing adapter—connected via corresponding lines 39 a with a suitablecontrol device 36 a—(and the remaining semi-conductor component housings12 b, 12 c, 12 d correspondingly inserted into a further componenthousing socket and/or component housing adapter connected to furthercontrol devices 36 b).

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required at station F forheating a corresponding semi-conductor component 3 a—mounted in anappropriate housing 12 a—by using the above internal heating controldevice 50, 50′ (and/or for testing the corresponding semi-conductorcomponent 3 a)—as is more clearly described further below—are generatedby the above control devices 36 a, 36 b and relayed via lines 39 a, 39 bconnected with the corresponding control device 36 a, 36 b housingsocket and the housing 12 a connected to it, to correspondingconnections of the relevant semi-conductor component 3 a.

As an alternative, an appropriate (additional) heating chamber 54 (intowhich—as is schematically represented in FIG. 1 a—the above housings 12a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d with their components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d, and thedevices 36 a, 36 b may be inserted (or for instance only the carriers 12a, 12 b, 12 c and 12 d with their components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d, nothowever the devices 36 a, 36 b, etc.)) may be additionally provided tosupport the heating process of the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3c, 3 d at station F, before and/or during any one or several of theabove tests.

From station F the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d mountedin the housing 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d may then be—optionally—transportedto one or more further stations—not shown here—where a correspondingsemi-conductor component housing (for instance the housing 12 a, withall the semi-conductor component 3 a mounted in it)—together withfurther components (analog and/or digital computer circuits, processors,etc., and/or semi-conductor memory components, for instance PLAs, PALs,ROMs, RAMs, in particular SRAMs or DRAMs, etc.)—is connected to acorresponding electronic module 13, for instance a circuit board.

As is shown in FIG. 1 b, the electronic module 13 (and thereby also thesemi-conductor component 3 a—connected with the electronic module 13(mounted in a corresponding housing 12 a)) may thenbe—optionally—transported to one or more further stations—for instanceto station G shown in FIG. 1 b.

At station G the semi-conductor components 3 a—connected with module13—may then be heated in a controlled fashion (for instance by using theabove internal heating control device 50, 50′—mounted on the relevantsemi-conductor component, or provided externally—) and/or subjected tovarious further test procedures, in particular to so-called moduletests.

The voltages/currents and/or test signals required at station G forheating a corresponding semi-conductor component 3 a—connected to module13—by means of the above internal heating control devices 50, 50′(and/or for testing the corresponding semi-conductor component 3 aand/or further components connected with module 13) are—as is moreclearly described below—generated by several, for instance two or morecontrol devices 46 a, 46 b (or alternatively by a single control device)and relayed via lines 49 a, 49 b to the electronic module 13 and therebyto corresponding connections of the relevant semi-conductor component 3a (and/or to the other components).

As an alternative, an appropriate (further) heating chamber 55 (inwhich—as is schematically represented in FIG. 1 b—the above module 13together with component 3 a, and the devices 46 a, 46 b may be arranged(or for instance the module 13 together with the component 3 a, and thedevices 46 a, 46 b, etc.) may be additionally provided to support theheating process of the semi-conductor component 3 a at station G, beforeand/or during any one or several of the above (further) tests.

In FIG. 2 a schematic representation of a section of one of thesemi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 bis shown, as well as—also schematically—the control device connectedwith it (here for instance the control device 26 a shown in FIG. 1 a(alternatively for instance the devices 6 a, 16 a, 36 a, 46 a shown inFIG. 1 a and/or 1 b)).

As is apparent from FIG. 2, the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c,3 d—shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b—in each case carry the internal heatingcontrol device 50—already mentioned above—and a temperature measuringdevice 56.

Furthermore the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d (hereillustrated by way of an example by means of the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b) have—corresponding toconventional semi-conductor components—numerous connections (so-calledpads), for instance numerous data connections (DQ) (so-called dataconnection pads), numerous address connections (so-called addressconnection pads)—not shown here—numerous control connections (so-calledcontrol connection pads)—also not shown here—as well as one or moreground potential connections (ground potential pads—GND), and one ormore supply voltage connections (VDD) (supply voltage connection pads),etc.

When the semi-conductor components 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d are installed intothe corresponding housings 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d—as with conventionalsemi-conductor components—the relevant pads (i.e. the data connectionpads, the address connection pads, the control connection pads, thepotential connection pad, the supply voltage connection pad, etc.) areconnected via corresponding bond wires with corresponding connections(so-called pins)—provided at each housing 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d—(i.e.the data connection pads with corresponding data connection pins, theaddress connection pads with corresponding address connection pins, thecontrol connection pads with corresponding control connection pins, theground potential connection pad with a corresponding ground potentialconnection pin, the supply voltage connection pad with a correspondingsupply voltage connection pin, etc.).

Each of the above data connection pads (DQ) is—in order to be able toreceive relevant useful external data during the “normal” operation ofthe semi-conductor component 3 a (and—as is more closely describedbelow—correspondingly similar to conventional semi-conductor components)connected via a corresponding line 60 to an input 61 of an input device62 (“input receiver”) allocated to each data connection pad (DQ).

The input 61 of the input data receiver 62 is connected—alsocorrespondingly similarly to conventional semi-conductor components—viacorresponding lines 63, 64 and an inter-connected protective diode 65,to the above ground potential connection pad (GND).

As is further apparent from FIG. 2, the input 61 of the input datareceiver device 62 has been additionally connected (and—as is moreclosely described below—also correspondingly similar to conventionalsemi-conductor components) via corresponding lines 66, 67, and aninter-connected protective diode 68 to the above supply voltageconnection pad (VDD).

According to FIG. 2—in contrast to conventional semi-conductorcomponents—a switching means 70, for instance an appropriate transistorcircuit including one or more transistors (of which the input isconnected—via a line 72—with the supply voltage connection pad (VDD),and the output—via the above line 67—with the diode 68) has beenconnected in series at the semi-conductor component 3 a, between theinput 61 of the input data receiver 62, and the supply voltageconnection pad (VDD) (more accurately: between the protective diode 68and the supply voltage connection pad (VDD)).

Furthermore—and also in contrast to conventional semi-conductorcomponents—at the semi-conductor component 3 a, a switching means 71,for instance a corresponding transistor circuit—including one or moretransistors—has been connected in series between the input 61 of theinput data receiver 62, and the data connection pad (DQ) (moreaccurately between the line 60, and a line 73 connected with the dataconnection pad (DQ)).

Depending on the control signals emitted by the internal heating controldevice 50 to corresponding control lines 74, 75 and relayed tocorresponding control inputs of the switching means 70, 71, theswitching means 70, 71 can be brought into a “switched on” state by theinternal heating control device 50 (in which the line 73 and the line60, i.e. the data connection pad (DQ) and the input data receiver 62(and/or the line 72, and the protective diode 68, i.e. the supplyvoltage connection pad (VDD) and the protective diode 68) areelectrically connected), or brought into a “switched off” state (wherebythe line 73 and the line 60, i.e. the data connection pad (DQ) and theinput data receiver 62 (and/or the line 72, and the protective diode 68,i.e. the supply voltage connection pad (VDD) and the protective diode68) are electrically disconnected from each other.

During the above “normal operation” of the semi-conductor component 3 a,the switching means 70, 71—controlled by the internal heating controldevice 50—is “switched on” (and—in contrast to a “test” and/or “heated”operation (see below)—left in a continually “switched on” position).

When—correspondingly similar to conventional components—an appropriatepositive supply voltage (VDD) is for instance applied to the supplyvoltage connection pad (VDD), and the ground potential connection pad(GND) is connected to ground, corresponding useful external data can berelayed to the semi-conductor component 3 a—by applying corresponding“high logic” signals (for instance one at a positive voltage level Vp),or “low logic” signals (for instance one at ground voltage level) to thedata connection pad (DQ) (whereby the following applies in particular:VDD≧Vp)

By means of the above protective diodes 68, 69, the “insides” of thesemi-conductor component 3 a—in particular the corresponding receiver 62(“input receiver”), and the switching means directly or indirectlyconnected with the output 69 of the receiver 62 (“input receiver”), canbe protected against too high and/or incorrectly polarized voltages.

For the above “test” and/or “heated” operation of the semi-conductorcomponents 3 a, the corresponding control devices 6 a, 16 a, 26 a, 36 a,46 a are—as shown in FIG. 2—connected via the corresponding lines 29 a,39 a, 49 a with corresponding connections, in particular with the abovedata connection (DQ), the above supply voltage connection (VDD) (and ifneeded also with a corresponding control connection and/or with theground potential connection) of the semi-conductor component 3 a (forinstance—directly—with the corresponding data connection pad (DQ), thecorresponding supply voltage connection pad (VDD) (and if needed, withthe corresponding control connection pad, etc.) (cf. for instance theabove stations A, C shown in FIG. 1 a), or for instance indirectly viathe corresponding data connection and supply voltage connection pins(and if needed, the corresponding control connection pin, etc.) (cf. forinstance the stations F and G shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b).

In order to switch over from “normal” to “test” operation and/or“heated” operation (and/or vice versa) an appropriate control signal canfor instance be applied by the corresponding control device 6 a, 16 a,26 a, 36 a, 46 a to one of the above control connections of thesemi-conductor component 3 a.

During the above “test” and/or “heated” operation—as is more clearlydescribed below—the above internal heating control device 50 and/or thetemperature measuring device 56 are in an “active” state.

The temperature measuring device 56 (for instance a conventional on-chipthermometer (or a corresponding device similarly constructed tothis))—similarly used during a temperature-dependent normal self-refreshoperation—delivers corresponding temperature measurement data(reflecting the current temperature T_(ist) of the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a) to the internal heating control device 50 via one or morelines 76.

This device compares the temperature T_(ist)—measured by the temperaturemeasuring device 56—with a nominal temperature T_(soll)—previouslystored in the internal heating control device 50 and/or thesemi-conductor component 3 a (and pre-set or for instance if needed,subsequently externally adjustable by the control devices 6 a, 16 a, 26a, 36 a, 46 a).

As is also apparent from FIG. 2, and as is more clearly described below,a special voltage U_(HEAT), differing from the above voltage VDD isapplied—during “test” and/or “heated” operation—by the device 6 a, 16 a,26 a, 36 a, 46 a to the supply voltage connection, in particular to thesupply voltage connection pad of the semi-conductor component 3 a.

In addition—and as is also apparent from FIG. 2—a special voltageU_(HEAT), differing from the above voltage Vp—is applied during “test”and/or “heated” operation by the device 6 a, 16 a, 26 a, 36 a, 46 a tothe data connection, in particular to the data connection pad of thesemi-conductor component 3 a.

The voltage U_(HEAT)—applied at the supply voltage connection—may forinstance have an inverted polarity to that of the voltage VDD, appliedto the supply voltage connection pad during the above “normal” operation(for instance, a suitable negative voltage U_(HEAT)—instead of apositive voltage VDD—may for instance by applied to the supply voltageconnection of the control devices 6 a, 16 a, 26 a, 36 a, 46 a).

If the internal heating control device 50 determines that thetemperature T_(ist) of the semi-conductor component 3 a—measured by thetemperature measuring device 56—lies above the nominal temperatureT_(soll), the internal heating control device 50—by applying appropriatesignals to the above control lines 74, 75—causes the switching means 70,71 to be “switched on” (whereby the line 73 and the line 60, and/or theline 72, and the line 67 are electrically connected).

The polarities and/or the voltage levels of the voltages +U_(HEAT),−U_(HEAT) applied by the control devices 6 a, 16 a, 26 a, 36 a, 46 a tothe data connection and/or the supply voltage are selected in such a waythat the protective diode 68 (or—in case an appropriately selectedpotential has been applied to the ground potential connection (GND))—theprotective diode 68, and the protective diode 65) are through-connected.

The current flowing through the protective diode 68 (and/or through theprotective diode 68 and the protective diode 65) causes a correspondingheating of the protective diode 68 (and/or of the protective diode 68and the protective diode 65), whereby the semi-conductor component 3 ais also correspondingly heated.

If the internal heating control device 50 determines that thetemperature T_(ist) (in particular caused by the above heating of thesemi-conductor components 3 due to the diodes)—measured by thetemperature measuring device 56—rises above the nominal temperatureT_(soll), the internal heating control device 50 causes—by applyingappropriate signals to the above control lines 74, 75—the switchingmeans 70, 71 to be correspondingly “switched off”.

Hereby line 73 and line 60, and/or line 72 and line 67 are electricallydisconnected from each other, so that no more current flows through thediode(s) 68, 65, i.e. the semi-conductor component 3 a can no longer beheated by the diodes, etc.

By means of the corresponding—and if necessary repeated—switching on andoff of the switching device 70, 71 (and thereby of the diode(s) 68, 65)by the internal heating control device 50, the temperature of thesemi-conductor component 3 a is regulated at the above nominaltemperature T_(soll), i.e. an appropriate regulatory loop is created.

In the alternative, preferred embodiment example shown in FIG. 3an—internally—heated semi-conductor component 3 a′ (and a control device26 a (and/or 6 a, 16 a, 36 a, 46 a) connected with it)) has beencorrespondingly identically constructed and arranged, and thesemi-conductor component 3 a′ is correspondingly identically heated—byusing the protective diode 68 (and/or the protective diodes 65, 68)—asdescribed above by means of FIG. 2 in relation to the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a, except that function of the internal heating controldevice 50 mentioned above—and provided on the component 3 a itself—isassumed by the control device 26 a (and/or 6 a, 16 a, 36 a, 46 a),connected with the semi-conductor component 3 a′ (cf. also the internalheating control device 50′ shown in FIG. 3, provided externally to theconductor component 3 a′ in the control device 26 a).

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the temperature measurement data produced bythe temperature measuring device 56 via the line 76, and a line 76′connected with it, is made available to the control device 26 a (and/orto the internal heating control device 50′ arranged on it).

If the internal heating control device 50′ determines that thetemperature T_(ist) of the semi-conductor component 3 a′—measured by thetemperature measuring device 56—lies below the desired nominaltemperature T_(soll), it is ordered by the internal heating controldevice 50′ that appropriate heating voltages +U_(HEAT), −U_(HEAT) areapplied via the above lines 29 a (39 a, 49 a), for instance to the abovedata connection, and the supply voltage connection of the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a′ (or to various corresponding connections, which forinstance differ from the above address connection, etc.)

These voltages have been so selected—as described above—that theprotective diode 68 (or—in case a correspondingly selected potential hasbeen supplied to the ground potential-connection (GND)—the protectivediode 68 and the protective diode 65)) are through-connected.

The current flowing through the protective diode 68 (and/or theprotective diode 68 and the protective diode 65) causes a correspondingheating of the protective diode 68 (and/or the protective diode 68 andthe protective diode 65), whereby the semi-conductor component 3 a′ isalso correspondingly heated.

If the internal heating control device 50′ determines that the measuredtemperature T_(ist)—measured by the temperature measuring device 56—(andin particular caused by the above heating of the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a′ by the diode(s)), is rising above the nominal temperatureT_(soll), the internal heating control device 50′ orders the aboveheating voltages +U_(HEAT), −U_(HEAT)—for instance applied to the dataconnection and the supply voltage connection of the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a′—to be switched “off” again.

Then no further current flows through the diode(s) 68, 65, with resultthat the semi-conductor component 3 a′ cannot be further heated by thediode, etc.

By means of the appropriate—and if necessary repeated—switching on andoff of the heating voltages +U_(HEAT), −U_(HEAT), i.e. an appropriateregulatory loop is created, and the semi-conductor component 3 a′ isthereby regulated—as is correspondingly illustrated above in relation toFIG. 2—at the above nominal temperature T_(soll).

Alternatively, the exact level of the heating voltages +U_(HEAT),−U_(HEAT) may also be correspondingly varied in each case by theinternal heating control device 50′, so that the semi-conductorcomponent 3 a′ is—depending on the component temperature T_(ist)measured in each case —correspondingly heated more or less (whereby aneven more accurate and/or quicker regulation of the temperature T_(ist)of the semi-conductor component 3 a′ can be achieved).

As already mentioned above (and as illustrated in FIG. 1 a and/or 1 b),the semi-conductor component 3 a (and/or the semi-conductor component 3a′) may be installed into an appropriate heating chamber 51, 52, 53, 54,55 during the above “test” and/or “heating” operation.

Inside the heating chambers 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 relatively pronouncednon-homogeneous temperature divisions may occur in part (for instancetemperatures lying above and below the nominal chamber temperatureT_(k,soll), between a minimum temperature Tmin and a maximum temperatureTmax, whereby the following applies: Tmin<T_(k,soll)<Tmax).

Advantageously the nominal chamber temperature T_(k,soll) for eachheating chamber 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 has been so selected and/or adjustedthat the maximum temperature Tmax actually occurring in the heatingchamber 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 is lower and/or somewhat lower (for instancebetween 0° C. and 25° C., in particular for instance between 5° C. and10° C., etc. lower), than the above nominal semi-conductor componenttemperature T_(soll) provided for the semi-conductor component 3 a and(finely) regulated by the internal heating control device 50, 50′.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   3 a semi-conductor component-   3 a′ semi-conductor component-   3 b semi-conductor component-   3 c semi-conductor component-   3 d semi-conductor component-   6 a control device-   6 b control device-   7 slicing machine-   8 probe card-   9 a contact pin-   9 b contact pin-   11 a carrier-   11 b carrier-   11 c carrier-   11 d carrier-   12 a housing-   12 b housing-   12 c housing-   12 d housing-   13 electronic module-   16 a control device-   16 b control device-   18 probe card-   19 a contact pin-   19 b contact pin-   26 a control device-   26 b control device-   29 a line-   29 b line-   36 a control device-   36 b control device-   39 a line-   39 b line-   46 a control device-   46 b control device-   49 a line-   49 b line-   50 internal heating control device-   50′ internal heating control device-   51 heating chamber-   52 heating chamber-   53 heating chamber-   54 heating chamber-   55 heating chamber-   56 temperature measuring device-   60 line-   61 input-   62 input data receiver-   63 line-   64 line-   65 protective diode-   66 line-   67 line-   68 protective diode-   69 output-   70 switching means-   71 switching means-   72 line-   73 line-   74 control line-   75 control line-   76 line-   76′ line

1. A semi-conductor component, comprising a device on the semi-conductorcomponent for heating the semi-conductor component, comprising: acomponent heating device to heat the semi-conductor component, thedevice comprising a heating element which can be heated by the currentflowing through the heating element; a control and/or regulatory devicefor controlling and/or regulating the current flowing through theheating element such that the temperature of the semi-conductorcomponent essentially corresponds with a predetermined nominaltemperature, wherein the heating element is a ESD diode connected with adata receiver device of the semi-conductor component, the ESD diodebeing operated in high-resistance backward direction in a working modeof the semi-conductor component for protecting the data receiver deviceagainst high currents in the working mode, the ESD diode being operatedin low-resistance forward direction in the heating mode for heating thesemi-conductor component.
 2. The semi-conductor component according toclaim 1, which comprises a temperature measuring device.
 3. Thesemi-conductor component according to claim 1, in which the heatingelement is an ESD protective diode.
 4. The semi-conductor componentaccording to claim 1, in which, during a heating mode of thesemi-conductor component, the element is used as a heating element and,during a working mode of the semi-conductor component as a protectiveelement for protection against over-high and/or incorrectly polarizedvoltages.
 5. The semi-conductor component according to claim 4, in whichthe heating element is connected in a conductive orientation during theheating mode, and in a non-conductive orientation during the workingmode.
 6. A system, comprising a semi-conductor component having a deviceon the semi-conductor component for heating the semi-conductorcomponent, the device comprising a heating element which can be heatedby the current flowing through the heating element; a control and/orregulatory device for controlling and/or regulating the current flowingthrough the heating element such that the temperature of thesemi-conductor component essentially corresponds with a predeterminednominal temperature, wherein the heating element is a ESD diodeconnected with a data receiver device of the semi-conductor component,the ESD diode being operated in high-resistance backward direction in aworking mode of the semi-conductor component for protecting the datareceiver device against high currents in the working mode, the ESD diodebeing operated in low-resistance forward direction in the heating modefor heating the semi-conductor component; and an external device on anexterior of the semi-conductor component.
 7. The system according toclaim 6, in which the external device is a control and/or regulatorydevice for controlling and/or regulating the heating of thesemi-conductor component.
 8. The system according to claim 6, in whichthe control and/or regulatory device controls or regulates the currentflowing through the heating element.
 9. A process for heating asemi-conductor component in a heating mode of the semi-conductorcomponent, comprising: heating the semi-conductor component by using acomponent heating device, the device comprising a hating element whichcan be heated by the current flowing through the heating element; andvarying the current flowing through the heating element such that thetemperature of the semi-conductor component essentially corresponds witha pre-determined nominal temperature, wherein the heating element is aESD diode with a first input connected with a voltage supply connectionof the semiconductor component, and with a second input connected with adata receiver device and a data connection of the semi-conductorcomponent, the ESD diode being operated in high-resistance backwarddirection in a working mode of the semi-conductor component forprotecting the data receiver device against high currents in the workingmode, the ESD diode being operated in low-resistance forward directionin the heating mode for heating the semi-conductor component.
 10. Theprocess according to claim 9, whereby the device comprises a controland/or regulatory device, which controls and/or regulates the heatingprocess.
 11. The process according to claim 9, whereby a control and/orregulatory device is provided outside the semi-conductor component forcontrolling and/or regulating the heating process.
 12. The processaccording to claim 11, in which a control and/or regulatory device isarranged and adapted such that it can be used as a control and/orregulatory device for performing the process.